Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

California Mom Sues To Be Released From Union Representing Home Health Workers

Delores Polk, who cares for her disabled daughter and is among a group of workers paid by Medicaid who provide home care, has filed a lawsuit to have her union membership revoked. In other health care news from around the state: San Diego program aims to help homeless vets suffering from PTSD; more CBD-infused products hit the market; two UC Davis Health leaders recognized for their work; and the health impact of the shrinking Salton Sea.

The Associated Press:
Home Care Aide Claims Union Won't Let Her Cancel Membership
A California mother who cares for her disabled daughter sued a union representing home health care workers, claiming the group won’t let her cancel her membership. Delores Polk said in the lawsuit filed Thursday in Sacramento federal court that a telemarketer with the Service Employees International Union pressured her to join and failed to properly inform her that she could decline membership. The suit is the latest in a string of cases nationwide filed since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that government workers can’t be forced to contribute to labor unions that represent them in collective bargaining. (Melley, 11/2)

KPBS:
VA San Diego Homeless Program Puts Vets Back To Work
The VA San Diego plans to expand a program to keep homeless veterans off the streets. ...The program is designed to bring people into the workforce who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, or have some physical or mental health issue that may have kept them out of the workforce for years. (Walsh, 11/2)

Los Angeles Times:
CBD-Infused Products Are Being Sold Everywhere In California — But Are They Legal?
The state’s Department of Public Health declared this summer that CBD-infused food, drink and dietary supplements cannot be sold by non-licensed retailers, further complicating an already confounding regulatory landscape. According to the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, CBD products made from marijuana may be sold at licensed cannabis dispensaries, but CBD pulled from pot’s non-intoxicating relative, hemp, is barred from being peddled at pot shops. (Newberry, 11/4)

The Desert Sun:
Salton Sea Film 'Estamos Aquí' Focuses On A Devastated Community
Four Salton Sea-area residents, all younger than 30, were united in their mission: Produce a documentary for and about their community, which has been devastated by environmental issues. As the Salton Sea in the east Coachella Valley continues to shrink, toxic dust and and other airborne issues continue to affect those in the surrounding areas. More than a decade after California lawmakers promised to fix the Salton Sea, dead fish and abandoned buildings are the images normally associated with the receding shoreline. (Estevez, 11/3)

This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.